VOA慢速英语2021 伊拉克人沙漠中冒险挖松露谋生（在线收听）

In the Iraqi desert, a 72-year-old woman carefully digs in the sand for treasure.

在伊拉克的沙漠，一名72岁的妇女正在沙子里仔细地挖宝。

"Here it is, the truffle, a blessing from God!" says Zahra Buheir.

Zahra Buheir说：“松露在这里，这是上帝的祝福！”

In her hands, she holds a truffle, a kind of fungus that grows under the ground. It is used in cooking around the world and is a costly food.

她手里拿着一个松露，这是一种长在地下的真菌。它在世界各地被用于烹饪当中，是一种珍贵的食材。

She said, "rain came, and then thunder, bringing truffles up to the surface."

她说：”下过雨，然后打雷，就会让松露长出地面。”

She and her family of seven have spent weeks looking for seasonal truffles. The rare food has provided the family with additional money.

她和她家一共七口人花了数周时间来寻找季节性的松露。这种珍贵食材为这个家庭提供了额外的收入。

Learning to hunt for truffles requires an understanding of the dangers in the desert. The hunters must deal with the severe weather of Iraq's southern desert. There are dangerous animals and military equipment left from years of war.

学习寻找松露需要了解沙漠中的危险。寻宝人必须应对伊拉克南部沙漠的恶劣天气。这里有危险的动物以及多年战争留下的军用装备。

The father of her granddaughter is Mohsen Farhan. He said, "We are afraid of wolves. There are a lot here. And there are mines. A while ago, someone died."

她孙女的父亲是Mohsen Farhan。他说：“我们害怕狼。这里有很多狼。这里还有地雷。前不久就有人丢了性命。”

Landmines left over from the Gulf war in 1991 remain unexploded and underground. The explosive devices could be mistaken for truffles by an inexperienced person.

1991年海湾战争留下的地雷仍埋在地下没有爆炸。没有经验的人可能会把地雷误认为是松露。

But to some, the dangers are worth it. This year, truffles can be sold for up to $7 a kilogram. Iraq's desert truffle costs less than European truffles. Those are rarer and can cost hundreds of dollars or more for a kilogram.

但是对有些人来说，危险是值得的。今年松露的售价可高达每公斤7美元。伊拉克的松露价格低于欧洲松露。欧洲的这些比较稀有，每公斤可能需要花费数百美元甚至更多。

But Iraq's economy is in crisis. So, the local truffles are a big help to this truffle-hunting family.

但是伊拉克的经济正处于危险之中。所以，当地松露对这个寻找松露对家庭来说有很大帮助。

This year, however, the rains came late. Buheir could only find about one kilogram of truffles each day. That amount is about one tenth of what she would dig up in a good year.

然而今年雨季来得晚。Buheir 每天只能找到约1公斤的松露。这个数字大约是她在丰年所能挖到的十分之一。

Her granddaughter, five-year-old Riyam, helps by turning over stones and digging the earth with her hands. The child joins the truffle hunt with her family to learn a trade and the desert lifestyle.

她5岁的孙女Riyam帮着翻开石头并用手挖土。这个孩子与家人一起寻找松露，以学习这门手艺及掌握沙漠生活方式。

"When there is no work, truffles are a source of income. And we are happy here," said Farhan. The child's father said he loves the weeks he spends with his family in their tent in the desert.

Farhan表示：“没有工作的时候，松露是一种经济来源。我们在这里很高兴。”这个孩子的父亲表示，他喜欢自己和家人在沙漠的帐篷中度过的这些时光。

Truffles come in many different sizes. When they are sold, they are named for other foods they are most like in size – for example, walnuts, eggs, or oranges. The biggest truffles are called pomegranates.

松露有许多不同的大小。当它们被出售时会用尺寸最接近的其它食物来命名，例如核桃、鸡蛋或是橙子。最大的松露被称为石榴。

This year, a lack of truffles has pushed up prices. Truffles that do not sell locally are exported to wealthier Gulf countries. But people who eat at the restaurants in the Iraqi city of Samawa enjoy many truffle dishes.

今年，松露缺货推高了价格。不在当地销售的松露被出口到较富裕的海湾国家。但是，在伊拉克城市萨玛瓦的餐馆用餐的人们会喜欢这里多种松露菜品。